Level.



PATENTED M-AR. 2l, 1905.

A. V. SHORTS.

LEVEL.

APPLIUATION FILED APR.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1A PATBNTED MAR. 2l, 1905.

A. v. SHORTS.

LEVEL.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. .6.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Sym) ov. or

UNITED STATES Patented March 21, 1905.

ALVER'IUS V. SHORTS, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,581, dated March21, 1905.

Application iiled April 6, 1904. Serial No. 201,808.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALvERTUs V. SHoRrs, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLevels, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to spirit-levels, and has Jfor its objectthe provision of a level of novel form containing a plurality oflevelglasses which may be used to determine the angle of vertical, andhorizontal surfaces.

In carrying my invention into effect I mount four independentlevel-glasses in an annular revoluble frame which is arranged in thecenter of' a level and I provide novel means whereby the frame carryingthe levelglasses may be revolved so as toV bring the glasses to anydesired angle to the sides or end of the level, and I provide a scaleand pointers by means of which the angle of each one of the glasses maybe determined.

My invention consists in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view of a spirit-level constructed according to my invention,the view being taken on a line drawn centrally through Fig. 2. Fig. 2 isan elevation' looking at the side of the level. Fig. 3 is a detailsectional view of part of the annular ring in which the level-glassesare sustained. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are plan views of modified forms of thelevel.

The level 1 is a flat rectangular section of wood or other material andis formed with an annular opening 2 at its center, extending from sideto side and communicating with a recess 3 at one side. The opening 2receives on one side an angular ring 4, which is laid into the side ofthe level and secured in position by screws 5 and has a de ending lip 6.The opening on the opposite si e of the level is fitted with a similarring 7, which is secured in position by screws 8 8. The ring 7 is setinto the side of the level so that its outer surface is flush therewith.The body of the level l is cut away, as at 9', to accommodate an annulartube 10, which is formed with a flange 11, that ts behind the lip 6,formed on the ring 4, and carries an annular rack` 12, secured to theannular tube 10 by pins 13 13. The annular rack 12 is formed with alateral flange 14, that fits within an annular flange 15, that is formedon the ring 7. The ring 7 inclines inwardly from the face of the levelto the iiange 15, as shown, and the edge of the inclined portion isgraduated, as shown at 16, and pointers 17, carried by the Llateralflange 14 of the rack, travel over the graduations 16 when the tube 10is revolved and serve to indicate the anglesdof the surfaces to whichthe level is app, A worm 18 is journaled between ears 19 19 in therecess 3, the said worm meshing with the rack 12 and serving as a meanswhereby the said rack and the annular tube 10 may be moved to anydesired extent in a circular path. The recess 3 is closed by a hingeddoor 20, which is maintained in closed position by a spring 21, the saiddoor being opened when it is desired to turn the worm 18 for theadjustment of the tube 10.

The annular tube 10 is cut away at four points on its inner side, and inthe openings so formed are affixed curved spirit or level glasses 22 22and 23 23, the glasses 22 22 being diametrically opposite one anotherand the glasses 23 23 being also diametrically opposite one another andthe four glasses being disposed an equal distance apart, with theircenters in alinement with the pointers 17.

In operation the annular tube l() rests normally in the position shownin Fig. 2 of the drawings-that is, with the pointers 17 17 in alinementwith the longitudinal axis of the level 1. In this position the levelcan be used in the ordinary manner on vertical or horizontal surfaces,the glasses 23 23 being used in leveling horizontal surfaces and theglasses 22 22 being used in leveling vertical surfaces.

To determine the angle of a surface approximating the horizontal line,the level is aid upon such surface and the door 20 berolo ing opened theworm 1S is turned and the.

annular tube thereby revolved until the bubble in the glass adjacent thesurface is at the center of the glass, the pointer 17, adjacent thatglass, then indicating the angle of the surface to which the level hasbeen applied. To determine the angle of a surface approXimating thevertical line, the same procedure is followed, but the angles are readfrom the pointer adjacent to one or the other of the glasses 22 22.

While I have found that four spirit-glasses greatly facilitate the useof the level under various conditions, one of the glasses 22 and one ofthe glasses 23 may, if desired, be dispensed with, as shown in Fig. 5,without departing from the spirit of my invention, and in some cases theinstruments can be provided with but a single glass, as shown in Fig. 6,but under the latter construction the adjustment of the tubular ringwould of course consume considerably more time than where a plurality ofglasses are used.

The tube 10 is formed with an opening 24, and after the glasses 22 23have been placed in position they are secured in the tube by pouringplaster-of-paris or other suitable material through the hole 24, andthereby lling the tube with such material.

The purpose of providing the four glasses is to allow of the level beingused to determine various surfaces without the necessity of turning itover or turning it end for end.

The device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings is adapted anddesigned to be per manently attached in position in the levelbody.

l have invented and have illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings amodified form of device which is adapted and designed to betemporarilyattached to an ordinarystraightedge. ln the modified form itis to be understood that the tube 10,with its glasses 22 22 and 23 23,the rack 12 and its depending flange, the ring 7, the nurled worm 18,the door 20, and the spring 21 are all employed in the' same manner asin the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the modified form, however, thering 4 is dispensed with and a cap 25 is provided, which has a llange 26on its lower edge, that rests on and is riveted or otherwise secured tothe ring 7. This cap turns inwardly at its upper edge and is formed witha depending llange 27, that lits inside of the flange 11 on the tube 10and that serves to retain the tube in its proper position'. This deviceis shown in Fig. 4, it being understood that the construction of the capis such that it will cover the worm at the side, and thus form a perfectprotective covering for the movable parts of the device and enable it tobe safely handled, transported, and applied to and removed from anordinary straightedge without difficulty or danger of injury to any partof the device.

Having fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent, is- Y 1. In a spirit-level, the combinationwith a levelbody, of an annular tube revolubly mounted in the body,spirit-glasses carried by said tube, a rack carried by said tube, and aworm engaging with said rack.

2. ln a level, the combination with a level body having an opening and arecess, of an annular tube mounted in the opening in said body,spirit-glasses carried by said tube, and an annular rack carried by saidtube, a worm mounted in the recess adjacent to said rack, and aspring-pressed door covering said recess.

3. ln a device of the character described, the combination with thelevel-body, of a ring secured on one side of the same and having adepending lip, a ring secured on the other side of the level-body andhaving a vertical llange a tube having a flange embracing said lip,glasses carried by said tube, a rack carried by said tube, the tubebeing supported by said rings, and means engaging with the rack forturning the tube.

4. The combination with a level-body having an opening extending fromside to side of the body, 0f glass-supporting means revolubly mounted insaid opening, a ring attached to the level-body at each end of saidopening each ring having an inwardly extending llange engaging theglass-supporting means, a spirit-glass carried in the glass-supportingmeans and means for revolving the glasssupporting means.

1n testimony whereof l allix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALVERTUS V. SHORTS.

Witnesses:

H. C. EVERT, K. H. BUTLER.

